Asustek set to launch ultra-thin notebooks using new Intel CPUs
Asustek Computer plans to launch two new ultra-thin notebooks using Intel's upcoming 45nm Celeron 743 and SU2300 CPUs on September 7, 2009, according to industry sources. — The new models will initially ship to areas including Taiwan, China and Europe.
Context & Ripple Effects
The September 7 debut lands in an already crowded Asustek fall calendar: the company had already slated an Ion-based nettop for September and its Eee Keyboard for October, so these ultra-thins extend the push beyond netbooks into thin-and-light territory.
On Intel's side, the runway was visible earlier in the month — an executive at the Intel Technology Summit described how new laptop designs would converge with Windows 7 later in 2009, and the 45nm Celeron 743 and SU2300 are the low-cost silicon for exactly that wave. Note the launch itself rests on industry sources rather than a formal Asustek announcement, while the chip pairing is confirmed.
First-order effects
- Asustek puts two entry-level ultra-thin SKUs on shelves in Taiwan, China and Europe within a week, built on budget Celeron silicon instead of the premium parts conventional ultraportables carry.
- Intel gets early retail placements for the upcoming Celeron 743 and SU2300 through a high-volume Taiwanese vendor before the chips reach broad distribution.
Second-order effects
- Rival notebook makers sourcing the same 45nm Celerons face pressure to field matching thin designs, pushing the segment from premium niche toward volume price points.
- By shipping in early September, Asustek and Intel position the models ahead of the Windows 7-driven design convergence Intel executives described at the August summit, letting both ride the OS refresh into the holiday quarter.
Third-order effects
- If budget Celerons in thin chassis prove they can sell, Intel's roadmap tilts toward a distinct cheap-ultraportable tier sitting between netbooks and mainstream laptops — a tier defined by Intel's chip cadence more than by any single vendor's branding.
- For Taiwan's launch-speed brands, competition in thin notebooks shifts weight toward industrial design and supply-chain turnaround, areas where Asustek's rapid product cadence is already the template.
The trend: Notebook makers are carving out a thin-and-cheap tier between netbooks and mainstream laptops, paced by Intel's 45nm CPU refresh and the Windows 7 upgrade cycle.